Author: Meredith Soden

December 6, 2022

Bonterra Organic Estates Named Green Company of the Year 2022 by The Drinks Business

Beverage industry’s only global green-specific awards honor the company’s commitment to regenerative organic farming, responsible business practices and environmental stewardship.

HOPLAND, Calif., December 6, 2022 – Bonterra Organic Estates®, a certified B Corporation, has been honored as Green Company of the Year by the drinks business magazine. This recognition highlights the company’s acceleration of longstanding impact initiatives over the last 12 months, from achieving Regenerative Organic Certification® for all of its estate vineyards and winery, to formally changing the organization’s name from Fetzer Vineyards to Bonterra Organic Estates in order to more clearly emphasize its guiding values.

The drinks business Green Awards are the world’s largest program raising awareness of sustainability and mission-driven companies in the beverage trade, and the only set of green-specific awards that encompass the global beverage industry. These awards recognize and reward the brands and individuals who hold a green agenda at the very heart of their businesses, and demonstrate tangible results. Winners are determined by an independent panel of sustainability and drinks industry experts. The Green Company of the Year Award, awarded to Bonterra Organic Estates this year, salutes a beverage company that has both improved its own direct environmental impact through changes to business practices, and promoted this effectively to a wider audience.

“Wine and agriculture are on the front lines of the climate crisis, which means we are uniquely positioned to pioneer best practices that help cultivate a better future for all,” said Giancarlo Bianchetti, CEO of Bonterra Organic Estates. “We are deeply gratified by this recognition of our efforts by industry peers, and will continue working to improve our environmental impact further—and, hopefully, to inspire other companies around the world to do the same.”

This Green Company of the Year Award is the capstone of an eventful twelve months in Bonterra Organic Estates’ history. In December 2021, the winery secured Regenerative Organic Certification for all of its Mendocino County, California vineyards and winery. Bonterra Organic Estates achieved Silver-level certification by demonstrating adherence to rigorous standards across the program’s applicable pillars—soil health and social fairness—and committing to ongoing improvement. In late 2021, the company’s popular Bonterra brand also achieved Climate Neutral certification after measuring, reducing, and offsetting a full 100% of greenhouse gas emissions from production and delivery of the wines. To help educate and bring consumers along on its Climate Neutral journey, the company deployed a national marketing campaign around Climate Neutral wine, including full-page ads in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times.

Earlier this year, Bonterra Organic Estates also formally committed to the Science-Based Target initiative, a global partnership that empowers ambitious climate action in the private sector by helping organizations set and achieve emissions reduction and decarbonization targets grounded in the best available scientific evidence. Additionally, as a result of Bonterra Organic Estates’ ambitious and broad-ranging environmental efforts, B Lab, the global nonprofit network that certifies and mobilizes B Corporations, named the company a “Best for the World” in the Environment category this year – an award reserved for the top 5% of similarly sized global B Corps for positive environmental impact.  Finally, and most visibly, in August the company officially changed its name from Fetzer Vineyards to Bonterra Organic Estates in order to highlight its forward-thinking regenerative organic commitments.

Bonterra Organic Estates has long led its industry in modeling planet-friendly business practices and continues to advocate for climate-smart policies at the state and national levels. In 2015, then-Fetzer Vineyards became the first recipient of the California Green Medal Leader award, which recognized the winery’s longstanding sustainability commitments and leadership in the California wine industry. In 2017, the company was the only winery in the world to be commended at COP23 by the United Nations Climate Change secretariat, which recognized the winery’s work toward a climate positive future with a Lighthouse “Momentum for Change” Climate Solutions Award. In 2020, the company declared a climate emergency and committed to achieving climate-positive operations by 2030.

©2022 Bonterra Organic Estates, Mendocino County, California USA

October 4, 2022

Bonterra Organic Estates Joins Science Based Targets Initiative, Refining Climate Commitments with World’s Best Available Methodology

HOPLAND, Calif., October 4, 2022 – Bonterra Organic Estates®,  a pioneering leader in regenerative organic winegrowing, today announced a formal commitment to refine its climate goals through the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Building on a long history of pacesetting regenerative business initiatives, Bonterra Organic Estates’ participation in SBTi’s program assures the setting of meaningful emission targets consistent with Paris Climate Agreement commitments, and provides the company with a scientifically rigorous, third-party-verified roadmap to achieve those goals.

SBTi empowers ambitious climate action in the private sector by helping organizations set and achieve emission reduction targets grounded in the best available scientific evidence regarding the climate crisis. It is a partnership between various organizations including the United Nations Global Compact, CDP, World Resources Institute and the World Wide Fund for Nature.

“By committing to SBTi standards, we are establishing parameters to set transparent, accountable and objectively validated goals for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions,” said Jess Baum, director of regenerative development and sustainability for Bonterra Organic Estates. “These standards give us a roadmap that is grounded in global best practices.”

This commitment comes at a time when much of the world is focused on combating climate change through formal policies and laws. In the United States, the newly adopted Inflation Reduction Act will supercharge climate action through a variety of policies and investments. With the understanding that business plays a critical role in leading systemic change, purpose-driven companies across the globe are accelerating efforts and setting tangible goals to reverse the effects of industrialization.

Through rigorous analysis, SBTi ensures that a company limits its carbon budget in line with what is needed to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified as the critical threshold for avoiding the worst impacts of climate change. Participants in SBTi’s program must commit to swiftly reducing emissions, as objectively assessed through best available methodologies, and publicly report their progress each year. Bonterra Organic Estates is among the first wineries to join more than 3,000 visionary, committed companies including Patagonia, Danone, and Microsoft.

This commitment is the latest development in Bonterra Organic Estates’ long history as a purpose-driven business. In 2015 it was the first recipient of the California Green Medal Leader award, which recognized the winery’s longstanding commitments to sustainable practices and leadership in the California wine industry. In 2017, it was the only winery in the world to be commended at COP23 by the United Nations Climate Change secretariat, which recognized the winery’s work toward a climate positive future.

In 2020, the company declared a climate emergency, and committed to accelerating its efforts to inspire, achieve and model responsible business practices. Since then, the winery’s two largest brands, Bonterra® and Fetzer®, have both achieved Climate Neutral Certified status, and the company continues to advocate for climate-smart policies at the state and national levels regarding clean energy, healthy soils and regenerative agriculture.

“The climate crisis is a global problem, and it is already impacting our lives and the lives of future generations,” said Giancarlo Bianchetti, CEO of Bonterra Organic Estates. “As a company committed to purpose, we welcome the third-party rigor SBTi brings to our impact planning. We know its methodology is reflected in the very real need for immediate action that will pave the way to a better tomorrow.”

©2022 Bonterra Organic Estates, Mendocino County, California USA

August 2, 2022

Fetzer Vineyards Adopts the Operating Name Change of Bonterra Organic Estates

Fetzer Vineyards, one of the leading organic wineries in the U.S., announced today that it is adopting the operating name of Bonterra Organic Estates, effective immediately.

The name Bonterra Organic Estates affirms the company’s commitment to regenerative organic farming, responsible business practices and environmental stewardship. The new name applies to the company’s corporate identity, as well as its Mendocino County, Calif., vineyard holdings and winery. Bonterra Organic Estates will encompass the company’s California wine brands including Fetzer®, 1000 Stories®, and  Bonterra®, among others.

“Bonterra Organic Estates communicates the ethos of our California-based business and aligns with our dedication to regenerative organic farming,” said Giancarlo Bianchetti, CEO of Bonterra Organic Estates. “We are embarking on a new chapter, in which we trailblaze advancements in regenerative organic practices while honoring the deep roots of the Fetzer family legacy.”

The Fetzer family founded Fetzer Vineyards in 1968 and pioneered California’s regenerative organic viticulture movement, which prioritizes the health of the vineyard ecosystem and combats climate change. The Fetzer brand remains unchanged, continuing this legacy and offering a smart option for consumers at the popular price point.

Bonterra was born out of the Fetzer Vineyards winery in the late 1980s. Today it is one of the fastest-growing premium wine brands in the United States, thanks to the greater awareness of—and consumer demand for— wines made with organic grapes. Bonterra Organic Estates embraces regenerative organic viticulture, practicing it exclusively on all 960 acres of its estate vineyards in Mendocino County, Calif.

“In elevating the Bonterra name, we are building on our decades of environmental stewardship coupled with the innovative leadership style and business acumen of our parent company, Viña Concha y Toro,” Bianchetti added. “Our promise, as Bonterra Organic Estates, is to continue to prioritize the environment as this best serves our community, customers, and future generations.”

To learn more about Bonterra Organic Estates, visit www.bonterra.com.

ABOUT BONTERRA ORGANIC ESTATES  
As a Certified B Corporation, Bonterra Organic Estates is grounded in the transformational goals of regenerative business. Since its founding, the winery has been driven by excellence, innovation and longstanding commitments to the environment and responsible business practices. With a focus on crafting wines made from organic and Regenerative Organic Certified™ grapes, Bonterra Organic Estates produces leading wine brands from its facility in Mendocino County, California, including category leader Bonterra (named the 2016 Wine Enthusiast American Winery of the Year); sustainability standout Fetzer; and 1000 Stories, California’s original Bourbon barrel-aged wine.

July 26, 2022

Bourbon Barrel-Aged Wine Pioneer 1000 Stories Introduces Distinctive American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

Newly Appointed Master Winemaker Sebastian Donoso Sets A New Course For The Future Of 1000 Stories

1000 Stories, the winery that boldly pioneered bourbon barrel-aged wines, is writing a new chapter debuting wines aged in virgin American oak starting with American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This comes at a time when Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are driving growth in the Ultra Premium wine category—growing 3.4% and 2.1% year on year respectively.1

1000 Stories has also appointed celebrated winemaker Sebastian Donoso to lead its winemaking operations, ushering in a new era for the brand. This marks the passing of the torch from 1000 Stories founding winemaker Bob Blue who retired in June. Blue is known for breaking the winemaking status quo when he began aging Zinfandel in bourbon barrels to create 1000 Stories in 2014.

“1000 Stories has always been about deliberately matching variety to oak – what’s possible when you explore that connection as a conscious element of flavor, rather than as a characteristic to de-emphasize, like in more traditional winemaking,” said Donoso. “Making these wines pushes me to be more experimental and bolder in my craft.”

Donoso works with coopers who source the American oak from eastern Minnesota and season barrels outdoors for 24 months. The barrels are then toasted to a specific toast level intended to bring out desired aroma and flavor characteristics, while also respecting the fruit. After Donoso selects premium lots from California vineyards and vinifies the grapes, the final blends are then aged in the American oak barrels, which adds a depth of flavor and creaminess to the wine’s mouth feel, alongside notes of vanilla, coconut oil, allspice, dried herbs and earth. The end result distinguishes these wines from their counterparts that are more often aged in French oak, creating a distinctively new drinking experience.

“We’re thrilled to share our unique approach to these beloved wine varietals with consumers,” said Tiffany Tran, senior brand manager for 1000 Stories. “At 1000 Stories we have always pushed winemaking boundaries and continue to do so with our new American Barrel-Aged wines. We’re offering an unexpected take on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and a special wine drinking experience.”

Born from a profound respect for the natural world and an innate curiosity about what lies beyond our own four walls, 1000 Stories wines are a celebration of the world around us and an homage to the importance of our country’s natural abundance. The newly launched American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay represent the winery’s forward thinking commitment to innovation and provide a glimpse into the future of the brand.

To kick start that future, the debut of the 1000 Stories American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay will usher in a new look that will debut across the entire portfolio. This new design is inspired by vintage spirits bottles and proudly continues to feature the brand’s emblematic bison icon—a nod to the American symbol that’s a cultural representation of wildness and freedom in the natural world.

The 750ml Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, priced at $19.99, will be available in August and October respectively, and the entire 1000 Stories collection in new packaging will begin shipping to retailers nationwide in October. Wine enthusiasts can sample the new American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and other wines from 1000 Stories at the Outside Lands music festival running August 5-7, 2022 in San Francisco. Learn more about the collection and 1000 Stories at http://www.1000storieswines.com

About 1000 Stories 

Expertly crafted by Master Winemaker Sebastian Donoso, 1000 Stories brings an expressive and bold take to wines. Starting with bourbon barrels and expanding to American oak, the nuance and character of each wine is brought to life through our barrel aging process. Named an IMPACT “Hot Prospect” brand three years in a row for its trailblazing portfolio, 1000 Stories consistently garners point scores of 90 or above from celebrated publications. The collection includes the new American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay along with the Bourbon Barrel-Aged Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Blend. Each bottle conveys our curiosity about the world around us and ongoing commitment to sparking that curiosity in all of us. To learn more, visit www.1000storieswines.com

1“Source: IRI L52 weeks ending 7-22-2022 Ultra Premium $15–$19.99 Total US – MULO + C”

Dec 13, 2021

Fetzer Vineyards Achieves Regenerative Organic Certification™ for Winery and 100% of Estate Vineyards

Vintner becomes the world’s largest ROC™-certified winegrower, obtaining rigorous credential for regenerative farming and social responsibility while elevating verified commitments to wine grounded in good

Fetzer Vineyards, the largest winery in the U.S. certified as a B Corporation and a leader in regenerative winegrowing, announced it has achieved Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) for all of its Mendocino County vineyard holdings and winery. Fetzer Vineyards is the world’s largest winery to obtain ROC certification, and is the third winery to certify to the standard, which publicly debuted in 2020. Long at the vanguard of regenerative viticulture in California, Fetzer Vineyards continues to demonstrate the highest levels of adherence to responsible business and farming practices with this latest achievement.

ROC is a revolutionary new certification for food & beverage, textile and personal care industries that assures shoppers certified farms and products meet the highest standards environmentally, ethically and socially. Certified at the ROC Silver level, Fetzer Vineyards has demonstrated adherence to rigorous standards across the program’s applicable pillars – soil health and social fairness – and committed to ongoing improvement, a core requirement of ROC certification.

Established in 2017 by a group of farmers, business leaders, and experts in soil health, animal welfare and social fairness—including Dr. Bronner’s, Patagonia and the Rodale Institute—the nonprofit Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA) aims to repair a damaged planet and empower farmers and eaters to create a better future through adoption of regenerative organic farming.

“ROC was created because regenerative organic agriculture has the potential to address many of today’s pressing problems, including the climate crisis, factory farming, and fractured rural economies,” said Elizabeth Whitlow, executive director of the ROA. “If we adopt regenerative organic practices on more farms, we’ll see improvements to soil health, the well-being of animals, farmers, workers, and the climate itself. I applaud Fetzer Vineyards’ achievement of ROC Silver, which is challenging for any farm and especially so given the size and scale of Fetzer Vineyards’ farming and winery operation,” she concluded.

With USDA Organic certification as a baseline, ROC recognizes the strong work already conducted by existing certification bodies and leverages this important work as part of the journey to Regenerative Organic Certification. Certification requires submission of a Regenerative Organic System Plan, an initial audit, ongoing annual audits and continued improvement.

“ROC aligns with and builds upon our existing approaches to soil health and worker fairness, and connects to and supports all 17 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—making this a truly comprehensive, rigorous and globally relevant standard,” notes Jess Baum, director of regenerative development and sustainability at Fetzer Vineyards. “Also vitally important is the ROA’s goal to protect the term ‘regenerative’ from greenwashing, which is essential if we are to be able to grow adoption of regenerative organic to address the climate crisis, and worker and community equity issues that are systemic in our food landscape. Simply put, the wellbeing of people, planet and communities is what’s at stake.”

Fetzer Vineyards first began farming organically in 1987, and in 2000 began farming according to Demeter US-certified Biodynamic® practices on select ranches. In 2020, the winery declared a climate emergency and committed to becoming climate positive in its operations by 2030. ROC certification across the winery and estate vineyards elevates these commitments and symbolizes the next chapter for the pacesetting vintner, committed to climate-smart practices that build resiliency both within and beyond winery’s doors.

“We need to diminish, if not entirely eliminate, the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers that raise our GHG emissions, harm our biodiversity, contaminate our air and waters, and damage our communities,” notes Joseph Brinkley, director of regenerative farming for Fetzer Vineyards, whose role includes advocating for healthy soils legislation and advancing the company’s position on climate policy generally. “The science supports the abundant connections between soil health and carbon storage, climate resiliency and healthy food systems—and regenerative organic farming is at the heart of this. At Fetzer Vineyards, we plan to continue building on what we’re doing at home, in our supply chain, and at the advocacy table to help advance a positive future for climate-smart agriculture, as we continue to drive scalable solutions to the climate crisis.”

To learn more about Fetzer Vineyards’ impact work, visit fetzervineyards.com/impact and follow @FetzerVineyards on LinkedIn for relevant updates.

ABOUT FETZER VINEYARDS
Fetzer Vineyards is an award-winning purveyor of multi-origin wines and spirits, selling in over 50 countries worldwide. Founded by Barney Fetzer in Mendocino County, CA, in 1968, and part of global powerhouse Viña Concha y Toro, Fetzer Vineyards today remains driven by excellence, innovation and longstanding commitments to the environment and responsible business practices. With a focus on crafting wines made from sustainable, organic and Biodynamic® grapes, Fetzer Vineyards is a leading U.S. marketer of wines, the nation’s primary importer of South American wines, and the United States’ largest Certified B Corporation winery—a testament to the company’s dedication to the transformational goals of regenerative business.

In addition to its flagship Fetzer label, the Fetzer Vineyards portfolio features Bonterra Organic Vineyards, the 2016 Wine Enthusiast American Winery of the Year; 1000 Stories, California’s original Bourbon barrel-aged wine; Casillero del Diablo, the #1 Chilean wine brand (750ml) in the U.S.; and Trivento Reserve, the #3 selling Malbec in the U.S. The Origins Collection—an esteemed portfolio of super-premium to super-luxury offerings centered on terroir-driven wines from Chile, Argentina and the U.S.—showcases South American icons Don Melchor and Trivento Eolo Malbec, alongside Bonterra’s single-vineyard, biodynamically farmed wines and the award-winning craft whiskies of Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. Learn more at: www.fetzervineyards.com

Nov 17, 2021

Bonterra Becomes World’s First Organically Farmed, Climate Neutral Certified Wine

Green leader certifies for climate neutrality across all business scopes

Building on decades of wine industry leadership in regenerative farming, scientific research and responsible business, Bonterra Organic Vineyards announced today that it has achieved Climate Neutral certification for its entire business, and publicly published its climate footprint. The certification places Bonterra, the nation’s leading organic winery, at the vanguard of brands across industries choosing to disclose their emissions footprints, commit to near-term reduction targets, and communicate openly and transparently with consumers about their climate impact.

“Everything with a price tag comes with a cost to the planet,” said Rachel Newman, Vice President of Marketing for Bonterra. “The climate crisis demands that we act now and that we act boldly. Publicly sharing our emissions footprint and taking responsibility in a really clear, open way was important for us to do now—not in five, ten or thirty years.”

The time for action is now
The announcement comes on the heels of this year’s United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on the climate crisis, which shows that a warmer future is unavoidable, and signals a pivotal step for a wine brand to demonstrate accountability to stakeholders, including consumers, communities and the environment.

In certifying as Climate Neutral, Bonterra disclosed that on average, a bottle of Bonterra wine (750ml) creates 3.4 pounds of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions (CO2E);1 in comparison, an apple creates 0.09 lbs. CO2E, while a smartphone creates 131 lbs. CO2E.2 Sharing this information builds on Bonterra’s legacy of responsible practices, now elevating and contextualizing the likes of regenerative farming, 100% green power use at the winery, and advanced water stewardship within the framework of a reputable, product-level certification that consumers understand.

The new essential business metric
Bonterra worked with nonprofit organization Climate Neutral to account for all scopes of greenhouse gas emissions created in Bonterra wines’ journey, from cradle to consumer. In 2020, 37.2% of Bonterra’s emissions derived from packaging and materials, 25.2% from shipping, 16.5% from production, 16.1% from farming and grapes, and 5% from employee commuting and travel.3 Bonterra offset 110% of its footprint through responsible, third-party sourced, nature-based carbon credits. 4

Climate-regenerative projects supported include reforestation initiatives offering numerous co-benefits to climate-vulnerable communities. Supporting such projects allows Bonterra to take responsibility for the carbon it emits, and essentially amounts to a voluntary tax on Bonterra’s carbon pollution. In clearly communicating Bonterra’s climate footprint at the bottle level and sharing context to everyday goods in other product categories, the Bonterra team aims to help demystify the emissions intensity of its collection—and encourage others to do the same.

“Every company should be able to quantify how it’s adding to the climate crisis—just as every company understands its revenues and expenses. But most companies don’t, and even fewer are taking immediate action to eliminate their greenhouse gas emissions,” said Austin Whitman, CEO of Climate Neutral, which counts a growing roster of businesses, including Alter Eco, REI and Numi Tea, among the more than 300 brands that undergo the annual certification process.

“There’s an opportunity for consumers and brands to work together to redefine climate action as something ambitious, immediate, and ongoing,” Whitman explained. “As part of achieving its Climate Neutral certification, Bonterra has measured and compensated for its past emissions, and begun the essential work of reducing its emissions further, showing that the wine industry can play a key role in moving toward a net-zero world.”

Going further: Designing for a better future
Achieving Climate Neutral certification and committing to future reductions is a positive step toward a net-zero future, though the Bonterra team appreciates that key work lies ahead.

“Climate Neutral is a first step, allowing for brand-level and product-level transparency for consumers, and we acknowledge that carbon credits are not a long-term regenerative strategy,” said Jess Baum, Director of Regenerative Development & Sustainability for Bonterra. “In light of the climate crisis, we cannot let perfect become the enemy of good. Measuring and offsetting all carbon created from the vineyard to the shelf is a way for us to credibly take immediate action to address the crisis, while working simultaneously on improving our business.”

Baum encourages others to get started measuring and reducing their emissions. “I encourage everyone in our industry and beyond to take a closer look at their whole emissions footprint and identify the hot spots—the soonest-opportunity areas,” she said. “The only wrong way to do this is to do nothing at all. We all have a role to play, and working together, can make a difference.”

For more information about Bonterra and its commitment to Climate Neutral winegrowing, please visit www.bonterra.com/climate-neutral.

About Bonterra
Organically farmed and masterfully made, the Bonterra Organic Vineyards collection epitomizes wines that are perfectly in tune with nature. A celebration of the vitality derived from organic cultivation, the portfolio features wines coaxed from the earth by careful farming practices carried out on a dynamic network of estate and partner farms throughout California. In addition to a widely available selection of organically farmed wines that includes Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Equinox Red, Young Red and Rosé, Bonterra crafts a trio of sought-after single-vineyard offerings from estate Biodynamic® vineyards in Mendocino County.

Long before organic produce filled the shelves of neighborhood groceries, the dedicated team at Bonterra was committed to organic and regenerative farming because they passionately believe that farms teeming with biodiversity— encompassing vines, insects and wildlife, and healthy soils—yield organic grapes leading to better wines. Bonterra was awarded the 2020 California Green Medal in the Environment category in recognition of its legacy of environmental stewardship and ongoing leadership in climate-smart winegrowing. More at www.Bonterra.com.

©2021 Bonterra Organic Vineyards, Mendocino County, California USA.

                                                      
1 Per-bottle average, 750ml equivalent, Bonterra 2020 Carbon Footprint, climateneutral.org/brand/bonterra 
2 Collected from publicly available sources, carbon footprints for everyday items are not meant to be representative of an entire product category.
3 Source: Climate Neutral Brand Emissions Estimator (BEE), Bonterra Organic Vineyards 2020 carbon emissions, scopes 1-3; https://www.climateneutral.org/brand/bonterra.
4 Climate Neutral uses third-party verification to ensure carbon credits meet the ‘big six’ requirements: real, permanent, quantifiable, verifiable, enforceable, and additional. Learn more about third-party verification for projects Bonterra supports for mangrove restoration in Myanmar, forestry in Brazil, and logging modification in China.

Oct 29, 2021

Fetzer Vineyards Named a Top Importer of the Year by Wine & Spirits Magazine

Company is included among respected cohort of fine wine importers in the United States

Fetzer Vineyards, a leading marketer of multi-origin wines and spirits from the United States, Chile and Argentina, was named a top importer of 2021 by influential wine publication Wine & Spirits magazine. This is Fetzer Vineyards’ first inclusion on the esteemed “Importers of the Year” list, which appears in the publication’s Winter 2021 Issue. It follows the company’s 2018 addition to its portfolio of iconic South American brands Don Melchor, Marques de Casa Concha and Casillero del Diablo, as well as the wines of Bodega Trivento, the world’s leading Argentine wine brand.[1]

The Wine & Spirits editorial team characterizes U.S. importers included in its 2021 list as those who “stake their business on finding wines you’ll want to drink,” and notes that “these 11 importers found the most we want to drink out of all the wines we tasted last year.” The publication tastes thousands of wines each year in a rigorous blind tasting process, and its inclusion of Fetzer Vineyards on its list solidifies the company’s standing as one of the most respected importers in the U.S. In addition to the praise for its imported wines, Fetzer Vineyards is commended for “Best Buys” originating from its California portfolio, including Bonterra.

Concha y Toro, imported by Fetzer Vineyards and a Wine & Spirits Top 100 Winery of 2021, is also prominently featured in the Winter 2021 Issue. Profiled in “The Top 100 Premier Cru,” a feature highlighting the wineries that have appeared most frequently over the three and a half decades of the Top 100 list, Concha y Toro is the second-most-awarded winery among a global list of esteemed vintners.

“We are very proud to be included on this year’s Wine & Spirits Importers of the Year list, alongside great company,” said Giancarlo Bianchetti, CEO of Fetzer Vineyards. “We’ve achieved this milestone thanks to the combined efforts of many over numerous years of focused work. We share this tremendous recognition with our extended team including our suppliers and trade partners.”

About Fetzer Vineyards

Fetzer Vineyards is an award-winning purveyor of multi-origin wines and spirits, selling in over 50 countries worldwide. Founded by Barney Fetzer in Mendocino County, CA, in 1968, and part of global powerhouse Viña Concha y Toro, Fetzer Vineyards today remains driven by excellence, innovation and longstanding commitments to the environment and responsible business practices. With a focus on crafting wines made from sustainable, organic and Biodynamic® grapes, Fetzer Vineyards is a leading U.S. marketer of wines, the nation’s primary importer of South American wines, and the United States’ largest Certified B Corporation winery—a testament to the company’s dedication to the transformational goals of regenerative business.

In addition to its flagship Fetzer label, the Fetzer Vineyards portfolio features Bonterra Organic Vineyards, the 2016 Wine Enthusiast American Winery of the Year; 1000 Stories, California’s original Bourbon barrel-aged wine; Casillero del Diablo, the #1 Chilean wine brand (750ml) in the U.S.; and Trivento Reserve, the #3 selling Malbec in the U.S. The Origins Collection—an esteemed portfolio of super-premium to super-luxury offerings centered on terroir-driven wines from Chile, Argentina and the U.S.—showcases South American icons Don Melchor and Trivento Eolo Malbec, alongside Bonterra’s single-vineyard, biodynamically farmed wines and the award-winning craft whiskies of Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. www.fetzervineyards.com.

[1] IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, 2020: Bodega Trivento 2020 global sales

Oct 21, 2021

Fetzer Vineyards Announces “Outstanding” New B Corp Score of 130, Further Elevating Legacy of Purpose-Driven Business Practices

Longstanding commitments to regenerative agriculture and climate-smart practices land Fetzer Vineyards in the top 5% of companies of its size in the B Corp Environment category, and the “Outstanding” category for B Corps globally

HOPLAND, Calif., October 21, 2021 – Fetzer Vineyards, the largest winery certified as a B Corporation in the United States and a leader in regenerative winegrowing, today announced a milestone in the company’s longtime dedication to responsible business practices: a new B Corp score of 130. This new score, which reflects a remarkable 37% increase from the company’s previous score, puts Fetzer Vineyards in the “Outstanding” category for B Corps globally, an elite group of purpose-focused businesses verifiably recognized for using business as a force for good.

Fetzer Vineyards demonstrated especially remarkable growth in its B Corp Environment score during its B Corp recertification, building on performance last assessed in 2017. Thanks to the likes of organic and regenerative farming practices, climate-smart operations, resource conservation and more, Fetzer Vineyards’ tally of 75.4 Environment points puts it in the top five percent of Environment performance for a company of its size among global B Corps.

Fetzer Vineyards' New B Corp Score of 130

Fetzer Vineyards has long been a purpose-driven business, catalyzing change for good since its founding in 1968. It was the first recipient of the California Green Medal Leader award (2015), which recognized the winery’s legacy of pacesetting commitments to sustainable practices and leadership in the California wine industry. In 2017, Fetzer Vineyards was commended at COP23 by the United Nations Climate Change secretariat, which recognized the winery’s work toward a climate positive future with a Lighthouse “Momentum for Change” Climate Solutions Award, the only winery in the world to receive this honor.

Other leading achievements in 100% green energy use, zero waste certification and more have followed, along with early adoption among wineries of B Corp certification and best practices. Today, B Corps are widely recognized across industries for transparency and accountability.

“For more than 50 years we have continuously worked to improve both our environmental and social impact,” said Giancarlo Bianchetti, CEO of Fetzer Vineyards. “On the heels of declaring a Climate Emergency last year, it is imperative to demonstrate progress toward our goal of accelerating our efforts to do better for people, communities and planet. Our latest B Corp score reflects these efforts, and we will continue to advance our actions to build on this momentum.”

To qualify for B Corp certification, a company must complete the rigorous B Impact Assessment (BIA) and obtain a minimum of 80 points on its 200-point scale. Anyone may take the BIA, and the average company scores approximately 50 points, well below the threshold for certification. During the BIA, businesses are rigorously assessed and measured in five areas: workers, community, governance, environment and customers.

Fetzer Vineyards first became a Certified B Corp in 2015, achieving an initial score of 80.2. The winery increased its impact efforts and overall score to 95.1 on its second assessment, in 2017. In the years since, Fetzer Vineyards has continued to advance its efforts across an array of focus areas, with noteworthy progress in worker benefits; policy advocacy for social and environmental standards; ethical marketing; and climate-friendly business practices.

Today, there are more than 4,000 Certified B Corporations across 77 countries and 153 industries, unified by one common goal: transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities and the planet.

“We are excited to be a part of this incredible community, and to build on progress as we develop and execute ambitious, forward-thinking initiatives that will help us achieve our goal of climate positive operations by 2030,” said Jess Baum, Director of Regenerative Development & Sustainability for Fetzer Vineyards. “The BIA gives us a great framework to ensure we’re looking at improvement across impact areas, and we are committed to diving deeper and doing better across our business as we move into our next chapter.”

Debut of Fetzer Vineyards’ new score follows a recent announcement from Viña Concha y Toro, Fetzer Vineyards’ Chilean-based holding company, which celebrated its own B Corp certification—along with certification for each of its winery holdings not previously certified. These include Fetzer Vineyards imports to the U.S. Concha y Toro, Viña Cono Sur and Bodega Trivento. Where consumers are concerned, it also crucially means that every single bottle of wine Fetzer Vineyards makes or markets now hails from a B Corp, rendering the company’s entire U.S. portfolio of wines from California, Chile and Argentina certifiably grounded in good.

To learn more about Fetzer Vineyards’ B Corp certification and impact work, visit fetzervineyards.com/impact and follow @FetzerVineyards on LinkedIn for relevant updates.

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ABOUT FETZER VINEYARDS
Fetzer Vineyards is an award-winning purveyor of multi-origin wines and spirits, selling in over 50 countries worldwide. Founded by Barney Fetzer in Mendocino County, CA, in 1968, and part of global powerhouse Viña Concha y Toro, Fetzer Vineyards today remains driven by excellence, innovation and longstanding commitments to the environment and responsible business practices. With a focus on crafting wines made from sustainable, organic and Biodynamic® grapes, Fetzer Vineyards is a Top-12 U.S. marketer of wines, the nation’s primary importer of South American wines, and the United States’ largest Certified B Corporation winery—a testament to the company’s dedication to the transformational goals of regenerative business.

In addition to its flagship Fetzer label, the Fetzer Vineyards portfolio features Bonterra Organic Vineyards, the 2016 Wine Enthusiast American Winery of the Year; 1000 Stories, California’s original Bourbon barrel-aged wine; Casillero del Diablo, the #1 Chilean wine brand (750ml) in the U.S.; and Trivento Reserve, the #3 selling Malbec in the U.S. The Origins Collection—an esteemed portfolio of super-premium to super-luxury offerings centered on terroir-driven wines from Chile, Argentina and the U.S.—showcases South American icons Don Melchor and Trivento Eolo Malbec, alongside Bonterra’s single-vineyard, biodynamically farmed wines and the award-winning craft whiskies of Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. Learn more at: www.fetzervineyards.com

Oct 18, 2021

Fetzer Vineyards Releases 2021 Harvest Report

Smaller crop with great quality spotlights the importance of teamwork for Fetzer Vineyards

Fetzer Vineyards

Mendocino County, Calif. Oct. 18, 2021 – As the end of harvest season in the North Coast nears, Fetzer Vineyards has released its harvest report and video to shine a light on the growing season, the harvest, and what to expect from the 2021 vintage.

Read Fetzer Vineyards’ 2021 Harvest Report in its entirety.
Watch Fetzer Vineyards’ 2021 Harvest Video.

Summary
This year’s growing season was marked by lower-than-average rainfall and a historically warm summer, which led to lower volumes of fruit and smaller berries than in an average year. Despite stressful growing conditions and the challenges presented by the ongoing pandemic, the resiliency of the vines and the collaborative nature of Fetzer Vineyards’ winegrowing, winemaking and operations teams led to a successful harvest. Fruit from estate ranches in Mendocino County as well as fruit from partner growers throughout California arrived to the winery with bright acidity, balanced flavors and excellent quality.

The wines show notable vibrancy and dynamic varietal character, a result of the unique growing conditions and careful handling in the vineyard and cellar. Naturally abundant acids in the 2021 grapes complement the vintage’s ripe flavors, creating wines with vibrant aromas and flavors, and mouthwatering freshness on the palate. This is ideal for Fetzer, Bonterra and 1000 Stories brands, which aim for delicious wines crafted with early enjoyment in mind. Acidity is also a key to longevity, so collectible wines from Fetzer Vineyards’ California portfolio have the potential to age well and gain greater complexity with time.

Oct 14, 2021

Fetzer® Wine Flips Thanksgiving Script, Creates New #Friendsgiving Traditions

California classic cultivates the ultimate 2021 Friendsgiving with 360 campaign

Fetzer®, the iconic California vintner with the nation’s #1 Gewürztraminer, has announced its biggest-ever Thanksgiving campaign ahead of the brand’s key selling period. Developed with creative and media agency Cutwater, “Here’s to #Friendsgiving” offers a 2021 take on Fetzer’s traditional Thanksgiving campaigns, as America’s most diverse generation yet comes to the table with new ways to connect – and new foods to favorite – this holiday.

The campaign draws inspiration from the reality that this year’s Thanksgivings will look different, amidst a time of ongoing social distancing and shifting cultural norms. Many of us are creatively reconsidering how we celebrate and forge connection, and the kind of cuisine we bring to the table. Representing a historic cohort of backgrounds and ethnicities, Millennials in particular are looking to change up tradition with cooking and customs of their choosing come November.

Fetzer’s new campaign highlights the possibilities this moment affords, offering a suite of assets underscoring the beauty of celebrating differently—be it with a meat-free Thanksgiving, a socially distanced potluck with friends, or any other inspired riff on the traditional occasion.

“The Fetzer brand was founded more than 50 years ago on the idea that it should be easy to enjoy a great-quality bottle of wine with a meal. While we still make good on that promise, we’re taking a page from our consumers and reconsidering how this classic holiday looks, with one of our biggest investments ever in a holiday campaign,” said Rachel Newman, Vice President of Marketing for Fetzer.

The 360-degree “Here’s to #Friendsgiving” campaign will come to life across the U.S. beginning November 1, delivering a coordinated mix of social media programming, digital ads, influencer activations and consumer sweepstake at point of sale (POS) to drive home the message that Thanksgiving is what you make of it. To that end, engaging POS asking “What will you bring to the table?” will invite consumers to define their own traditions, and share them on social media.

Ensuring continuity with broader marketing initiatives, the campaign name itself is a seasonal, social take on the brand’s year-round tagline, “Here’s to Tomorrow.”

More than two-thirds of Millennials, a key audience for Fetzer, are concerned about consuming healthy foods, and fully 45% are likely to consider a meat-free Thanksgiving this year.[i] A historically diverse cohort, they are purchasing and preparing a more diverse array of foods than any preceding group of Americans. Campaign visuals highlight these trends.

“Our inherent drive to connect can’t be confined to a particular definition of tradition. Even during a time of significant change like this year, connection – and the ways we create it – is the great equalizer and ties us all together. This campaign looks to celebrate that and is part of the long history of tradition around the table that Fetzer stands for, seen in a new light,” said Hilary Butler, Sr. Brand Manager for Fetzer.

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About Fetzer
Part of the largest certified B Corp winery in the U.S., Fetzer is building a better tomorrow by making quality wines with a conscience and putting people and planet first. Embodying the B Corp ethos to use business as a force for good, Fetzer crafts delicious, go-to wines that minimize environmental impacts and elevate social responsibility. Winemaker Margaret Leonardi—the first woman to lead winemaking for Fetzer in its 50-plus-year history—balances a thirst for innovation with a dedication to quality in every glass of Fetzer wine. Her acclaimed collection of any-occasion offerings includes the #1 Gewürztraminer in the U.S., a beloved California Chardonnay, a trio of bright whites—Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Riesling—a richly textured Merlot and a bold Cabernet Sauvignon. Every sip is a step toward a more sustainable future. Learn more at fetzer.com.

[i] Source: NUMERATOR Psychographics/ WKS 52 wks W/E 05.09.21 / Ipsos Retail Performance – Vegan trends / Deli Market News-Vantage Point Media, LLC 2019.